The invention relates to a proportioning system comprising at least one tool and a proportioning device and a process for operating a proportioning system using at least one tool and a proportioning device.
Proportioning systems, in the sense of this application, comprise manually or motor operated pipettes or dispensers of a portable or stationary design, automatic proportioning devices (LHS=Liquid Handling Stations), and laboratory-type automatic apparatuses (WS=Work Stations). These proportioning systems comprise at least one tool and a proportioning device. In many cases, the tool is a proportioning tool, e.g. a pipette tip, syringe or proportioning head, which has at least one receptacle to mount at least one pipette tip or syringe, or has one or more integrated proportioning needles. The proportioning device has a device for releasably mounting the tool, a device for actuating the tool, and a device for controlling the aforementioned devices. For example, the device for actuating comprises at least one piston-and-cylinder mechanism for displacing a column of air in the pipette tip. However, it can also be a device for mechanically actuating at least one a piston-and-cylinder mechanism which is integrated in a proportioning tool, e.g. in a syringe or proportioning head.
According to the German Patent Application 102 47 731.0, a conventional tool holder of laboratory-type automatic apparatus which has a prehensile tool can be employed to handle laboratory-type vessels, lids of vessels, and other objects. The invention integrates proportioning systems having a prehensile tool according to the German Patent Application 102 47 731.0.
When the tools are under manufacture data will be created which particularly comprise the order, the individual product number, and the date of manufacture. In addition, calibration data will be created by the manufacturer. For example, those are volume correction data for the individual calibration of proportioning tools. For example, those further are individual mechanical correction data which concern a misorientation of a proportioning or prehensile tool with respect to its seat in the proportioning device, for example.
Further, data of the tool may be created by the user. For example, those can be identification data, calibration data or data regarding its use (e.g. the number of type of uses).
The production-related data has been archived in documents accompanying the tool or by the manufacturer up to now. In some cases, the data is accessible only via information delivered by the manufacturer.
Conventionally, the application-related data are recorded by the user in accompanying documents. The disadvantage of the way the data has been handled hitherto is that it is troublesome to assign the data to the tools and to update and supplement it and that the data is not always readily available. Thus, for example, data of calibration has to be entered with difficulty to a laboratory-type automatic apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,744 has made known a laboratory-type automatic apparatus with an identification system for exchangeable proportioning modules. The proportioning modules have a non-digital electronic network element which is designed as a RC member for changing the tune of a resonant circuit. A pulse width variation is to be measured for identification. The RC member virtually helps only in permanently assigning a single information to a proportioning tool. Accordingly, an application is indicated for an identification of the proportioning tool.
DE 101 17 064 A1 describes a device for automatic dispensing which comprises a cartridge with a tank, a micro-proportioning element, and a clamping device as is shown in FIG. 1. According to FIG. 2, the cartridge is mounted on a clamping mechanism of an assembly head via the clamping device. The dispensing head formed in such a way is fixed to a dispensing head support as is shown in FIGS. 3, 4. The dispensing head is movable to a specimen slide, which is movable in an X-Y plane in a Z direction (possibly also in an X-Y plane). The cartridges are provided with an electrically readable code which is stored, for example, in an EEPROM, HF tag, bar code and the like. The code can contain fluid data, e.g. cartridge specific data such as substance identifiers, solvent identifiers, filling dates, aging, purity and the like. This data can be fed directly to test planning so that an optimum use or availability of substances is always ensured. Thus, when a cartridge is changed cartridge specific data makes it unnecessary for the operator to inform about the position to be loaded because this system is able to identify it automatically.
WO/01/62322 A1 relates to a microelectronic inhalation apparatus to administer aerosols. An aerosol container is provided with a microelectronic storage element. The container can be inserted in a receptacle which has an microelectronic assembly. When the container has been inserted into the receptacle a display of the microelectronic assembly displays information stored in the storage element.
WO 01/62322 A1 discloses a similar medicament dispenser in which the container or receptacle is equipped with a RFID.
DE 38 83 267 T2 relates to an article identification system with an ID device which can be mounted on an article requiring identification, and a read control device to read data from the an ID device. The article identification system serves for managing tools of a machine tool or components or products at a factory or for an identification of articles in a distribution and consignment system or the like.